The Indian Panorama

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  • ”You can sit in the room, take your visa and go to India” – Consul General of India Randhir Kumar Jaiswal

    • Interviewed by Prof. Indrajit Saluja
    • Chief Editor, The Indian Panorama
    Consul General Randhir Kumar Jaiswal speaks with The Indian Panorama Chief Editor Prof. Indrajit S Saluja.

    Ambassador Randhir Jaiswal is a career diplomat. He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1998. In his over two decades of diplomatic career so far, he has served in Portugal, Cuba, South Africa and at the Permanent. Mission of India in New York. In between his overseas assignments, he served in New Delhi at the Ministry of External Affairs, first as Deputy

    Secretary looking after India’s relations with the United States of America, and then as Joint Secretary managing India’s relations with West European countries. In the middle of 2017, he was deputed to serve the President of India as Joint Secretary managing his international  relations portfolio.

    Randhir Jaiswal is passionate about sports, environment, culture,monuments, old cities and cuisines. He is deeply interested in strategic, sustainable development and public  policy issues. He has been part of India’s delegation at various Climate Change Conferences and was the lead negotiator  for the G-77 countries at the RIO+20 Conference held in Brazil in 2012.

    He holds a Master’s degree in History from Delhi University, India. He speaks Hindi, English, Portuguese and Spanish and is conversant with several dialects of Bihar, India, the State he comes from.

    He is married to Dr. Abha Jaiswal, a public health expert. The couple has two daughters.

    Ambassador Jaiswal was kind enough to accept our invitation to sit for an interview which was conducted in his office on March 24, 2022.

    TIP: Good morning! Thank you for giving The Indian Panorama  your valuable time to speak with  us. It has been more than one and a half year since your last interview to The Indian Panorama. I am keen to get your valuable views and comments on certain issue.

    Consul General: Thank  you very much your gracious invitation. It is always a pleasure to speak to the Indian Panorama and through you to the larger Indian American community and the  diaspora in the United States. It is a privilege I would say, to serve India,  to  fly the flag of India and serve the larger Indian American family that we have here. In spite of COVID We have tried our best to stay connected, tried our best to keep our service delivery   on a smooth and inefficient track. And I would say that on that account, I’m very grateful to the  team here.  By  my own judgment we have done a decent work and hopefully others in the community would also think so.

    You know, we have been,  in spite of COVID,  open since May of 2020. Not many consulates or other government establishments here in New York and some other cities can talk of that. But we have done it. We have 70 people here who have been coming every day since May of 2020. And that has allowed us to keep us doing our best for the community and  maintain the connect with India. We have done, I think a decent job in staying connected with the community and we received excellent support. And in spite of the  limitations, let me tell you I have been able to go and meet them, give  my regards to them, pay my respects to them, and to learn from them and to share our joys and happiness with them.

    TIP: Thank you so much. Community has always been a priority with you. You have always tried to see to it that there are conditions  created in the consulate to make people happy with the services.  There may have been  conflicts  here and there, and  despite the fact that there are sometimes very unpleasant people or unpleasant circumstances, but then by and large what I have heard from people is that they have been getting good service,  and I think,   you deserve to be complimented on that. But then  there are so many areas you know where may think that there is something more to be done. Do you think you are aware of the areas where some more work is needed for better functioning of the Consulate?

    Consul General: There are several aspects to functioning. We have to maintain healthy community relations. We have to have an efficient delivery of consular services.  We have to have greater engagement or deeper engagement with the economic stakeholders so that we can strengthen the India US economic technology and trade connect. And also, you know, in general,  support India s  friendship  through conversations with other stakeholders that are there. So, there are several aspects to our work here. Because of COVID,  yes, there have been limitations in terms of meetings. We had to do with a virtual engagement even as we would have liked to do more physical engagements. We wanted to do more work on that account but because of COVID we have not been able to do so. But now that the COVID is going into the background, we look forward to doing more of that. Also, because of COVID, we had to stop people from  coming  into the consulate for health reasons. Now we have resumed walk-in  services. So, hopefully many of the challenges that people encountered earlier will not be there.  There is  a range of stakeholders who come into play once you put your documents into the mail. With walk-in  they  can get the services and go back home. We also have now opened  ourselves for open house so people who have issues to discuss they can come on a  particular day announced by the Consulate and discuss the issues. So, it will help us.  We are now  going back to the normal duty that we had as far as consular services are concerned. We have now restored long term 10-year visa. People will not have  a problem  anymore.  So is the case with E visa now. All that has been restored. So hopefully all that, you know, will help in better services or better engagement of the diaspora and the community with the consulate and with India in general.

    TIP: Would you like to elaborate for our readers  this reopening of various visas now?

    Consul General: We had the long term 10-year visa which was issued to a large number of people here for the United States. We had,  and several other countries you know, had  put restrictions on the long-term  visa because we wanted to  know exactly and have some predictability in the number of people coming into India because of COVID concerns. Now we have restored them.  So,  10-year visas that were issued to people are good enough. They don’t have to reapply. That was one of the fears in the minds of the people.

    So, 10-year visa, if you  had, say,  in 2017 it was valid till 2027.  You’re good to go. We are also  some time back started one year tourist visa  which is free of cost -first half a million tourist visas free of cost. It  is free of cost one year tourist visa to be utilized in  120 days, which is four months. We also have a tourist visa for one year and a tourist visa five years. All the visa regulations that we had, prior to March of 2020, which were  suspended because we were in  COVID , they  all have been restored.

    Consulate@Your Doorstep: 600+ applicants availed OCI and other Consular Services at the Consular Camp held at Burlington, MA on April 9, 2022. Applicants thanked Consulate for saving their trip to New York otherwise. The camp was held in association with IAGB

    TIP: How about the OCI Card? What are the latest rules? How long does it take to get an OCI Card?

    Consul General: From the day the application comes to the consulate, on  the 22nd day we are in a position to issue the OCI card.

    TIP: There is a one that is one particular situation that has been described to me by many people. There are people who left India, say 20 years ago 15 years ago, somewhere on the way they lost their passport. A police report is required in the case of a lost passport. But then there is nobody living now at the India address given in the Indian passport. How can the police report from India be obtained?

    Consul General: In that case we will ask from  him for more details. If  he’s able to provide the information,  we’ll see how to reverse that situation. In certain cases what happens is that  people have been staying here for long. So, we have in our system, automatic trigger, that verification is sought from your  hometown or the place of residence that you’ve inquired and then you’ve entered. If we get a report back that a person is not there,  then we see how best to deal with it. So,  we are able to deal with the situation and find a solution to help our people. So, it’s  not a problem.

    TIP: We have a large student population in your  consular jurisdiction.  I’ve been watching there is  not the kind of connection between the consulate e and those students. And I think when last we met, I did ask you a question about these students. Have you been able to apply your mind to how best you can, you involve them  with the rest of the Indian diaspora or how best you can utilize their services for the nation?

    Consul General:It’s a very valid question. So, one, I would like to tell you is that in spite of limitations of the COVID whichever function we have here students have been involved . There are   50,000 to 60000,  could be more students in the 10 States under New York Consular jurisdiction.  The second thing we want all students and Indian nationals to register with the embassy,  with the consulate in our jurisdiction.  We have put a registration link on our website. It is important for cases of emergency that we are able to reach out to student community and we urge all of them to come and register so  that we can stay connected. We have

    consular camps , consulate  at your doorstep every month. And it is our idea at least, to try to do two every month. So,  we are reaching out to all the 10 states.

    And also a lot of our services now, especially in  the visa site are available. Nobody needs to come to the consulate physically You can sit in the room, take your visa and go to India. So, a lot of it is because of digitization, a lot of services and we will move in that direction more and more, as we move forward in the digital age. We have a large diaspora and a growing diaspora. So, in the days to come possibly we’ll have more consulates  here. But it’s a work in progress

    TIP: Now coming to 75 years of independence, which is, of course a landmark event for this year, all over the world preparations are being made.  What are the preparations being considered here?

    Consul General: We launched India at 75 in New York last year with a remembrance of  the sacrifice of all our freedom fighters. And since then we’ve had a series of events, cultural programs, talk shows, virtual programs. We have a long list of those programs and many people have actually participated in them. We had a conversation on Gandhara art at the Met Museum on March 19th.

    TIP: Talking about all those challenges  may require probably a book. But  I will request you to at least   identify one biggest challenge that you faced ever since you came to New York less than two years ago.

    Consul General: So, you know, the responsibility here is large because we’re dealing with a large population size in 10 states. So,  I would say COVID itself has been a challenge, a major challenge  that physically you’re separated. There are several limitations which come into our way.

    You know, one of the biggest complaints we received was that I have sent you have received, but from your side we have not received after the service has been delivered. Now, every time we had to explain to people that  we have dispatched it, but people would say, each time the delay was on the part of  the service provider, it was put on our account. We did try to get in touch with the FedEx or UPS or whoever to please try and see if they  can barcode it but they have their own system. . The person who picks it up from here is not the person who just has to barcode it. People should also understand that this is a situation which  we encounter.   You know, the world is still going through the pandemic. It happened once in 100 years. The last big pandemic that happened was in 2018. So, it was a very unusual situation and time zone challenge. But, again, we are almost back to normal, difficulties, inconveniences, challenges notwithstanding.

  • Portrait of an Artist

    Krish at work. (Photograph : Jay Mandal-on assignment)

    Krish Sengupta is all set for his solo art exhibition in New York City in January 2022. The artist’s work can be seen at On The Fringe, aka 72 Warren at Tribeca from January 13th to January 16th.

    On Thursday,  January 13, the show is open from 5 PM to 11 PM. On Friday, Saturday, Sunday, January 14, 15and 16, the show is open from Noon to 9 PM.

    Photographs: Jay Mandal-on assignment

    Krish’s Retrospective Showcase of work done in the New York area over the years will have 30 paintings at the exhibition.

    The time though is a little difficult on account of surging Covid cases, but Krish expects art lovers to brave the onslaught and turn up to see his work. Like any exhibition of paintings, Krish will be offering some paintings for outright sale. The occasion offers an opportunity to collectors of art pieces to add to their collection.

    Krish is an India born artist, now based in Jersey City, NJ. Since arriving in the USA in the summer of 2009, he has actively cultivated his art in Chicago, New York and New Jersey. Largely self-taught, he has honed his skills at eminent artist workshops in these cities, namely those of Layne Jackson, Tom Robinson, Raul Sebasco and Joe Velez.

    His focus is mostly on figurative work, exploring form and motion in his drawings and paintings. He had his first solo exhibition in the USA in Feb 2013, and has shown at the National Arts Club, New York City in 2015 & 2016, amongst many others. In Jan 2022, Krish will be hosted for his first solo exhibition in NYC – “New York Showcase” – by a prominent gallery in Tribeca, Manhattan.

    It is always interesting to look into the mind of the artist. As The Indian Panorama requested Krish for an interview, he suggested that we republish an interview which was recently published at artistcloseup.com

    In accordance with the artist’s desire, we are publishing the referenced interview, as it was originally published.Placement of photographs of paintings is, of course, the original work of The Indian Panorama.

    1. Q. What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

    “My name is Krish, which is also the word with which I sign my paintings. Must add, I do use just ‘K’ as a signature in many works too. My art journey truly started in my childhood years, and quite clearly it is in midstream now. Mine has been a slow journey, especially as paint and draw on the side of my main work career, which is as an executive in financial services.

    Over the years, I have even kept art aside for long periods of time to cater to education and career priorities. However, upon arriving in Chicago in the summer of 2009, I resumed painting and drawing, after a gap of 15 years, with a renewed passion and have never looked back since. As I reflect, I realize that the long hiatus was needed.”

    1. Q. Which artists influence you most?

    “I entered the Chicago art scene through two institutions, namely – the studios of Layne Jackson and Tom Robinson, both eminent American artists with valued art careers in their names. Both them and the artists around me in those studio sessions were my biggest inspirations at that time, which spurred me to my point of no return.

    That aside, I do draw inspiration heavily from the works of the Great Masters, from museums around the world and, of course, books. Impressionism as an art style is clearly my favorite and go-to style, and thus the impressionists among the Great Masters have remained my idols forever, and no one more than the great master, Pierre-Auguste Renoir.”

    1. Q. Where else do you draw inspiration from?

    “Figurative art inspires me the most. In fact, with the internet, I feel almost ‘over-inspired’ by all the marvelous figurative work that we see every day. Life drawing has been a huge influence in shaping my continuing desire to depict form & figure at its artistic best. The best is yet to come but the journey is itself no less of a reward for me.”

    Q.What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

    “I mostly dwell on the theme of ‘Form and Figure’, emphasizing the aspects of pose, grace and motion in my work, to capture a stellar moment in time – visually and artistically – that the viewer would be drawn to. The key message in this theme, for me, is always to make that beautiful, graceful moment timeless, and for the viewer to cherish and take back an impression of it.

    While most of it is conveyed through human form and figure, I do enjoy the theme of horses and certain other animals that also have an abundance of beauty and grace. I have captured the poise and motion of horses in my series ‘Spirit of the Horse’ and am looking forward to creating a series on dolphins in the months ahead.”

    Q.How would you describe your work?

    “My style of art is realistic with shades of impressionism. In my oil work, I like large, bold brush strokes, texture and a near realistic finish – although I always aspire to be more impressionistic. One day I will be! In my charcoal work, I like to be as smudgy and dirty as possible, and sometimes leave them with an unfinished look. However, as I always say, my art is constantly evolving and I am still trying to find my signature style, and until I get there, everything I create is an experiment.

    Aside from the rendition style, I would also describe my art as singular pieces of beauty which are meant to adorn walls with images that would capture attention. It would, in the least, demand a closer look or a second look before one can really walk away.”

    “I have this strong belief that all of us have an appreciation of art, maybe in different ways; thus, I am always really eager to capture attention to my work through visuals that most can relate to, before the viewer moves on to the next piece.”

    1. What is your creative process like?

    “Nowadays, as I am becoming more aware of proportion, I try to start with a charcoal stick or graphite to create my marks, around sizing; however, essentially I believe in the technique of alla prima for my painting – including portraits done from life or photographs. Sometimes I do my underpainting in acrylic and then finish with oil. I love blurry unclear depiction for my backgrounds and peripherals. I am more careful about values than color, and for that very reason, I love creating monochromes, which led me to create the series ‘#monochromesbykrish’ & ‘#charcoalsbykrish’, that is worth a search on Instagram. My pencil works and charcoal works give me the opportunity to continuously dwell on the concept of values, and perhaps they also keep me connected to my basic love for drawing.”

    1. What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

    “A visual artist ‘talks’ with pictures, images and visual impressions that they create for viewers to dwell upon and form impressions in their minds, which is significantly quicker yet longer lasting than any other art form, be it performing arts or literature. This single component of the power of a visual artwork to influence the viewer’s mind, also casts an enormous responsibility on artists in society. Which, therefore, needs them to perform a role of positive influencers in society vs negative – always!”

    1. Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you’d like to share?

    “Yes. They are quite a few.

    Drawing Attention II, Chicago – June 2011

    Full Spectrum Art Show, Chicago – June 2011

    Drawing Attention III, Chicago – June 2012

    Naked July Art Show, Chicago – July 2012

    Art & Friends, Solo Art Show, Chicago – Feb 2013

    Drawing Attention IV, Chicago – June 2013

    Renaissance Art Show, New York – June 2014

    National Arts Club Annual Show, New York – 2014

    National Arts Club Annual Show, New York – 2015

    Artists Studio Walk Show, Hoboken – 2016

    RAW Invitational Pop Up Art Show, Jersey City – Dec 2017

    Artist of the Month – July & August – Hudson Gallery Jersey City – 2019

    Solas Studio Summer Show, New York City – 2021”

    Krish is currently based in Jersey City. Instagram: @8akrish

  • Beware of the consequences of disregarding recommendations of health experts

    Beware of the consequences of disregarding recommendations of health experts

    Prof. Indrajit Saluja

    Politicians all over the world, by and large, are guided by similar lust for power. For them, all is fair in love and war. Their standards of morality are grounded deep in immorality. Of course, there are exceptions. Once in a while, you see a politician who is unlike his breed. He is not a politician. He is a visionary. He is a philosopher. He is a saint.

    For the traditional politician, to grab power, to hold on to power, and to stay on in power, by hook or by crook is his most pious duty. He is not the one to ever doubt his ability to continue to wield power. In a democracy, power flows from the people, and he knows well how to influence them and get their support and vote.

    Thus, a Trump is ready to risk the lives of his blind faithfuls at his rallies where  he declares his defiance to the threat of the deadly Coronavirus, encourages them to insult the wisdom of the health experts who recommend certain precautions to keep the virus away. The health experts recommend covering of face in public, but the President of the country would tell the rallyists by his example of not wearing a mask, that face covering is not required, and that the idea of  social distancing is  a stupid one. And his cronies join him in propagating the hoax.

    We know for certain that many who attended the Trump rallies suffered the consequences. They got infected. Many of them may have recovered, but many of them may still be fighting for survival. Innocent people fall a prey to the machinations of vile politicians; we have known it for long.

    Take a cue from a former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie who until the other day  was mixing around in the Rose Garden in White House, without a face covering. He  realized, after he got infected, that health experts are right, and that their recommendations are for the protection of the people,  and has now recommended that the guidelines issued by CDC be followed.

    I will expect people like Chris Christie to take upon themselves to educate Americans of the dangerous consequences of disregarding the recommendations of health experts to protect themselves from the deadly virus which has already claimed more than 215,000 precious American lives, and struck more than a million, and is still raging all over America, threatening to bring more misery in the approaching winter season.

    Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay blessed.

     

     

     

  • Weekly Horoscope September 7 – September 13, 2020

    Weekly Horoscope September 7 – September 13, 2020

                        Shree Ganeshaya Namah

                             Weekly Horoscope

                                               September 7 – September 13, 2020

     

    Aries: Ganesha says you have been able to reflect on your past and

    identify a pattern of behavior that you know is not good for you. But

    you are as stubborn as ever and are not willing to change. You let

    your heart make all your decisions and they could be wrong most of the

    time, as they will subjective. Your intuition will also tell you to distance yourself from certain people, projects and preoccupations..                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

    Taurus: There has been a tremendous change in your outlook. You

    understand a little more about the power that you have within you.

    There will be a lot of entertaining in this phase and you will be

    making many new contacts. You will gain appreciation for your

    hospitality and charm and wit and be the soul of the party. There will

    also be some restructuring at work and you will look at many new areas

    of improvement and progress.

     

    Gemini: The 3 P’s – Promotions, profits and prestige are at the core

    of this period. You involve yourself with initiatives that empower you

    to forge ahead. A significant rise in energy levels translates into

    long, productive hours at work. For those in the media, in particular,

    brand – building, media planning, and profit maximization become

    primary concerns.

     

    Cancer: You will think and ponder over what you really want out of

    life. Most people are not working in areas that they are best suited

    for, are in the wrong job and hang in there out of compulsions. We can

    say the same thing about marriage but that’s a different issue and we

    will go into that later. Ask yourself in no uncertain terms what you

    want in your life today. You deserve to have the best. There is only

    one life and so don’t make too many compromises.

     

    Leo: The level of conviction in your beliefs will be astounding. You

    have so many unanswered questions, but it doesn’t stop you from

    feeling this way. Your confidence and charisma will soar. You have

    realized that it is good to have problems and unanswered questions in

    order to challenge yourself to find solutions. This is also the time

    for a new love and you may begin to feel an uncontrollable attraction

    to someone who has recently come into your life.

     

    Virgo: You are counting the days for some kind of renaissance to

    happen, not realizing that it has already begun. You can’t see

    yourself changing, but it’s apparent by the way people respond to you.

    It could be a combination of social re-engineering, doing the same

    things a little differently, or your recent good fortune in the stock

    market that is fueling this attraction; there could be any number of

    reasons.

     

    Libra: Innovation is the buzz word this period. Technologies outside

    your industry will force you to learn, to acquire, to adapt, to

    change. You will be on a learning, spree as you incorporate new

    technologies in your workplace. There will be rapid expansion and you

    reap the whirlwind. There will be a re-allocation of funds and

    resources to maintain a sustainable growth rate.

     

    Scorpio: You are jet-setting, globetrotting and reconnecting with old

    friends and relatives. It could be that you have been promoted to a

    position of authority too quickly. You will be hard put to cope with

    the new assignment but you manage it well in the end. You will learn

    to develop your people skills and other emotional competencies that

    come with time and experience.

     

    Sagittarius: By now you have established credibility and a power base.

    You have been judged by your actions and are finally in a comfort

    zone. There is applause, money, rewards, felicitations. Live in the

    now and enjoy every moment. Make the purchases you have always wanted

    to even if it means spending too much. Life is fleeting and you have

    done well. So loosen your purse strings.

     

    Capricorn: Huge investments and large purchases may become a

    necessity. You deal with loans and funds, joint – finances and raising

    capital. You look at scaling up production. You must commit to only as

    much as you can deliver. Demand is practically impossible to predict

    if you are introducing a new product. You are worldly and wise enough

    to realize that you cannot afford to be lackadaisical.

     

    Aquarius: You are feeling very entrepreneurial. You will soon be able

    to place people in key positions so that you can be free from everyday

    concerns and focus on the development of new businesses. Your family

    rallies around you and there is greater love and appreciation around

    the dining table. Expenses will mount and there could be travel for

    work.

     

    Pisces: Ganesha facilitates both material and higher gains. The focus

    will be on adding value and building your portfolio of assets. The

    acquisition of wealth, the infusion of capital, joint accounts, loans,

    funds, an inheritance or perhaps even a lottery, may be around the

    corner. There is a strong indication of a sudden unexpected gain this

    period.

     

     

                  Shree Ganeshaya Namah

                             Birthday Horoscope

                         September 7 – September 13, 2020

     

      Sept 7: Even with your fine taste for luxury and life’s material riches,

    you sense today the value of a more soulful, spiritual identity and

    the mutual rewards and sensitivities it brings with others.

     

    Sept  8: It’s hard to keep at a regular daily routine with work or health

    if the emotional landscape is convoluted and requires constant

    adjustments. Late afternoon is your best shot for improvements.

     

    Sept 9:Hidden wealth can show up as needed funds, spiritual expansion,

    hope for the future, and optimism that attracts good opportunity and

    private support. Look for positive within as well.

     

    Sept 10:  If you feel entitled to more than you’ve got or that you’re

    working harder than incoming rewards, someone may surprise you with a

    nest of emotional complications to maneuver through.

     

    SEPT 11: Ganesha says there are obstacles to harmonious interactions if

    someone feels confined because of another’s jealous or possessive

    streak.

     

    Sept 12:  A great idea serves as the recovery point for money-home

    affairs. Expect support, growth, approval, and insight into how to

    grow more profits.

     

    Sept 13: The best time to get out and about is during the morning – a

    friendly brunch? That keeps laughs and lively connections going into

    the afternoon

  • A Farewell to an accomplished diplomat and a great friend to Indian American community

    A Farewell to an accomplished diplomat and a great friend to Indian American community

    Comment By Prof. Indrajit Singh Saluja

    Consul General of India at New York, Sandeep Chakravorty, as his last name suggests, has indeed been a Chakravorty Samrat of his sprawling territory covering ten US States . He came, he saw and he conquered, can well go to describe his work, accomplishments and achievements.

    Mr. Chakravorty’s  tenure witnessed extraordinary situations which demanded extraordinary responses. In both, the government of India’s J&K action , including the abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, and later, the colossal human misery caused by COVID-19 calling for a gigantic effort to extend a helping hand to Indians , Ambassador Chakravorty proved himself equal to the occasion.

    Ambassador Chakravorty ‘s work went well beyond the routine consular work. He strengthened the existing framework and created new and innovative ones. He strengthened institutions and organizations with his ideas, active participation and frontal leadership. In the process, he endeared himself to not only the Indian American community, but also to many  from various communities . They will miss him .

    Building bridges between  India and U.S. and between Indian Americans and mainstream Americans has been his overriding passion. He can be credited with promoting amity and goodwill among communities here and the two nations. He leaves behind a rich legacy  which his successor could well be proud of .

    Ambassador Chakravorty’s fan following probably compares well with that of  top film stars. He came to have many admirers, and quite a large number of friends, among whom I count myself. We will miss him a lot, and also his lovely wife Taruna Chakravorty, the kindly and caring First Lady at the Indian Consulate. Their twin daughters hardly ever made appearances but when they did as when they gave stellar Classical dance performances, they were amazing. God bless them!

    New Yorkers tell me they will miss the friendly family. Of course, we will miss them.

    We, at The Indian Panorama, Opinio Media , and  International Media Arts,   and my family who admire the Chakravorties, will miss the beautiful and admirable family. We wish them  all health and happiness, and hope to see them  remain connected.

    Au revoir.

  • FIA Chairman Ramesh Patel Cremated

    FIA Chairman Ramesh Patel Cremated

    Prof. I.S.Saluja

    NEW YORK  (TIP): Ramesh Patel, Chairman for life of Federation of Indian Associations NY/NJ/ CT (FIA), the organization which organizes India Day Parade in New York, to mark India’s Independence Day , who died  June 6, of coronavirus, was laid to rest today, June 11.

    A family only religious ceremony  for the dear departed  was performed  before a drive  through viewing in the afternoon. A large number of FIA officials and  community leaders arrived for the viewing. Later, Mr. Patel was cremated at Punarjanm Funeral Home in Watchung, New Jersey. 

    Ramesh was a colossal figure in the Indian American community who made immense impact on socio-cultural scene. One of the founders of FIA, as chairman of the organization for decades now, he led the organization from strength to strength. In fact, FIA got synonymous with Ramesh.

    His sad demise  has created a void in the Indian American community in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He will be deeply missed.

    On behalf of The Indian Panorama  and Opinio Media and their directors  and staff, I salute the great standard bearer of India, and pray for eternal rest to the departed soul.

    Describing Ramesh Patel as “The Iron Man”,  attorney Ravi Batra, in his tribute sent to The Indian Panorama, said:  “Ramesh Patel was a giant of a man, and a dear friend of Ranju & mine. We enjoyed his support at City Hall Steps rallies we organized for defending the honor of innocent Krittika Biswas, and later, for the falsely accused Amb. Prabhu Dayal. Ramesh Patel’s voice was always the loudest and strongest in support.

    “His lasting legacy is his unique humility-based public service by taming the unbridled ambitions of many in the Indian-American community for a fleeting photo-op and getting them all to work in support of his pride and joy, the India Day Parade in Manhattan, largest in the world – just as the Saint Patrick‘s Day Parade since 1762 is the largest. Indeed, he would shun the VIP-bus on the parade route to walk the Madison Avenue, and Ranju and I enjoyed walking with him. It falls on his family and the FIA team to carry on his legacy of Honor-by-service and the rest of us to help keep Ramesh Patel’s glorious life choices alive.

    “I called him the Iron Man in USA, as Sardar Patel was in India. He will be sorely missed, as will his big smile and hug that Ranju and I always got.”

  • The Indian Panorama photographer Mohammed Jaffer calls on Abhishek Bachchan

    The Indian Panorama photographer Mohammed Jaffer calls on Abhishek Bachchan

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): Bollywood Actor Abhishek Bachchan was in New Jersey on Feb 15 in connection with Magic Bus Fundraiser held at Albert Palace in Edison, new Jersey. Our photographer Mohammed Jaffer who has known Abhishek met and had a photograph with him.

  • Indian Republic Day Celebrations organized on Long Island

    Indian Republic Day Celebrations organized on Long Island

    MINEOLA, NY (TIP): The Indian American Community from long Island organized the 69th Republic Day Celebrations on January 26, 2018

    Prof. Indrajit S Saluja, Publisher and Chief Editor of The Indian Panorama was honored with India Republic Day Award by Nassau County Executive Laura Curran on the occasion of India’s 69th Republic Day celebration in the Nassau County legislature building on January 26 evening. Prof Saluja, who is President of INDO-US Foundation Inc., is also famous as a Writer, Speaker, Actor, and Television Host and well known in the Media and Community for his contributions and support to society. Along with Prof Saluja Laura Curran also presented India Republic Day Awards to:

    Dr Bhupendra R Patel, Doctor of Medicine in appreciation for his good work. He is also former chief of Medicine of the department of medicine at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens.  Dr Patel also known as Bhupi is an Icon and pillar of our society.

    Dr Anila Midha is the founder of South Asian American Womens Alliance a nonprofit organization that promotes the education of STEM subjects along South Asian American Women and give scholarships to deserving female students in High School.

    Dr Himanshu Pandya is currently the Vice President of AAPIQLI. Dr Pandya has published several articles in Health Journals. He is Founder of SPARK Club of New York. Dr Pandya is the Co-owner of Social Day Care Center in Long island

    Dr Runi Mukherji Ratnam is the Chair of the Psychology Department at SUNY College at Old Westbury and also served as the Director of General Education program for the college. She serves as consultant to the center for immigrant Health and Center for the study of Global Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

    Deborah Misir Esq. is the Founding Partner of Lally & Misir LLP.

    Indu Jaiswal Chairperson of Indian American Forum welcomed and greeted all the guests. Keynote Speaker Dr Parveen Chopra highlighted the significance of India’s Republic Day. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Presiding Officer Mr Richard Nicollelo also graced the event.

    Bollywood dance performances on January 26 at NASSAU county legislature building

    Republic Day was also celebrated in Hempstead Town Hall on January 26 morning and February 1 evening. Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen and Board members of Indian American Forum, Hempstead Town Clerk Silvia Cabana, Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney, Councilman Mr Dennis Dunn, Dr Urmilesh Arya, President National AIA, Indu Jaiswal Chairperson of Indian American Forum, Members of Indian Veterans Association, Varinder and Ratna Bhalla and several community leaders graced the flag-hoisting event.

    Flag Hoisting Outside the Hempstead Town Hall with Supervisor Laura Gillen, Town Clerk Silvia Cabana, Members of Indian Veterans Association
    Republic Day celebrations at Town of Hempstead. Seen in the picture: Town of Hempstead Councilman Dennis Dunn, Town Clerk Silvia Cabana, Supervisor Laura Gillen with Dr. Urmilesh Arya , National President of AIA , Indu Jaiswal Chair IAF, Nilima Madan, Bina Sabapathy, , Ratna Bhalla
    Members of Indian Veterans Association with Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen and Town Clerk Silvia Cabana

    On February 1, The Board of trustees and, members of Indian American Forum organized India Republic Day Celebration at Nathan L.H, Bennett Pavilion, and Hempstead Town Hall. Dr Swadesh Rana, first ever woman to become the chief of Conventional Arms Branch in the Department of Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations, was the keynote speaker.

    Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney, Town Clerk Silvia Cabana presenting Citation to Indian American Community

    During the event India Republic Day Awards were presented to Dr Sunita Saini, Founder and Director of South Shore Psychological Services of Long Island and Dr Inderpal Chhabra, clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Hofstra North Shore School of Medicine.